Spencer Pratt Advances to November Runoff in Los Angeles Mayoral Race Against Incumbent Karen Bass

Los Angeles, CA – Reality television personality Spencer Pratt has secured a spot in the November 3, 2026, runoff election for mayor of Los Angeles, finishing second behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2 primary.

With approximately 63% of expected votes counted, Bass led with around 35-37% while Pratt held second place at roughly 30%. City Councilmember Nithya Raman trailed in third with about 22%. No candidate reached the 50% threshold needed to win outright, triggering the top-two runoff under Los Angeles election rules.

Pratt, a registered Republican running as an independent and known for his role on MTV’s The Hills, entered the race on the one-year anniversary of the 2025 Palisades Fire that destroyed his home. His campaign emphasized public safety, addressing homelessness, reducing crime, and fixing what he described as failures in city leadership on basic services.

At his watch party, Pratt expressed readiness to challenge Bass directly. He told reporters he looked forward to debates and vowed to engage more communities if he advanced. “We can do debates every Friday if she would like,” Pratt stated.

The race highlighted widespread dissatisfaction with Bass’s first term, marked by criticism over handling of homelessness, rising living costs, and recovery from the Palisades Fire. Bass, a Democrat and former congresswoman, has never lost an election but faced her toughest challenge yet as the first incumbent in decades forced into a runoff.

Pratt positioned himself as an outsider bringing fresh energy against the political establishment. Pre-election polls showed a tight contest among Bass, Raman (a progressive Democrat), and Pratt, with Pratt gaining momentum among voters frustrated with current conditions.

The November matchup between Bass and Pratt will decide leadership of America’s second-largest city amid ongoing struggles with crime, housing affordability, and infrastructure. Final primary results could shift slightly as remaining mail ballots are counted in the coming weeks.